Welcome to the HCPSS Accessible Mathematics Wikispace!

This wikispace has been designed to help mathematics teachers and teacher leaders examine effective mathematics instruction, as outlined in the book Accessible Mathematics: Ten Instructional Shifts that Raise Student Achievement by Steven Leinwand. The suggestions are intended to serve as sample activities and discussion prompts for preparing all mathematics teachers to plan, teach, assess, and promote a mathematical learning environment that is considered "Common Core-ready."

Instructional Shifts:

1. Incorporate ongoing cumulative review into every day's lesson.
2. Adapt what we know works in our reading programs and apply it to mathematics instruction.
3. Use multiple representations of mathematical entities.
4. Create language-rich classroom routines.
5. Take every available opportunity to support the development of number sense.
6. Build from graphs, charts, and tables.
7. Tie the math to such questions as How big? How much? How far? to increase the natural use of measurement throughout the curriculum.
8. Minimize what is no longer important, and teach what is important when it is appropriate to do so.
9. Embed the mathematics in realistic problems and real-world contexts.
10. Make "Why?" "How do you know?" "Can you explain?" classroom mantras.

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Resource: Leinwand, S. (2009). Accessible mathematics: Ten instructional shifts that raise student achievement. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Developed by the Howard County Public School System Office of Secondary Mathematics, 2010
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